Thanks for this beautifully balanced and positive piece Grockle. Lots to feel good about still. I think there are many of us who are very concerned that a way will be found to consign us to Division 2, but at least this article made me feel, so what? If they screw us, possibly today, we'll just be back anyway probably stronger.

I am having trouble keeping up with all the post and have only just read this thread.

Yep, always a big thank to Grockle (Paul) in keeping this site going, without it Somerset Cricket Club would be a lot less informative on cricketing matters. Somebody once said to me the Grockle web site is free advertising for the club.

Would also like to thank Grockle, though the stress of following Somerset CCC can't be doing my health any good. But it's good to know there are other like minds out there. Hopefully next season I might even get to see a day or two. I was brought up in Bath and saw pretty much every day there from the early 70s for a few decades, as well as one-day cricket in Street, Glastonbury, Imperial Ground, Bristol, finals at Lords (one victory, many more defeats), matches at Old Trafford, Headingley, Hove, Cardiff and more, though only one day's cricket at Taunton so far - but it was a good one: Somerset vs Warwickshire C&G semi-final in 2001 when they recovered from 6 for 3. Here's to a less-stressful 2018...

Yes it has been accused of that in the past. I think it was meant as a veiled accusation that we were the club's unofficial 'mouthpiece'. People who think that don't or can't read enough of our content

If SCCC or anyone else wants to contribute, anonymously of course to our upkeep we're not proud. Ithink we ought to get in on the Tractor 'one off' T shirt business myself.

Why do you expect Venness to be back? If he has accepted a new post with Surrey and handed in his notice, why would he change his mind and would the club accept him back?

IMO you make your bed and you lie on it.

The people who deserve most thanks (and I sincerely hope that they are suitably rewarded by the club) are Simon Lee and his hard - working groundstaff. Without the pitches that they diligently prepared, we probably wouldn't have had anything to rejoice over yesterday.

Thanks again, Grockles, for keeping this site going for yet another season (a 15th in my case), withstanding rather too many cross-bowed arrows aimed in your direction, and for your generous comments on players, officials, backroom staff and supporters.

I would like to add my special tribute to two players in whom some of us never lost faith and who made major contributions to our success in the second half of the season after suffering from poor form in the first: they are, of course, Trescothick and Hildreth.

Very well put, Grockle. I'd like to echo the thanks which others have expressed for all your hard work in keeping this site going.

I'd also like to thank Farmer White for his wonderful pieces. A great cricket writer needs have a love and feel for the game, its players and followers, good observational and analytical skills and a felicitous use of language. FW has all these characteristics and more.

I should also like to thank wsm fan for his unstintingly positive and supportive posts - which have certainly cheered up me and, I suspect, others.

Finally, I thank all those with whom I have sat and enjoyed matches - at Taunton, the Oval and Chelmsford - for their company, conversation and friendship.

Well, not every word - the last sentence doesn't apply to me - I only got to one day of Somerset cricket in 2017, Roussouw's thrashing of us in the 50-over game back in, I think, May. Hoping those currently unwell swiftly recover, and to see more of the team and supporters in 2018.

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